Kurash (kuresh, koresh and variants; Uzbekkurash, Turkmengöreş1Bashkirкөрәш (köräş), Tatarküreş, куреш, көрәш, kөrəş, Kazakh курес kures, Azeri güləş, Chuvash кӗрешӳ) is one of the Turkic terms for "wrestling" (from Old Turkickeriš, c.f. Turkish güreş) and specifically refers to a number of folk wrestling styles practiced in Central Asia. The wrestling is the main competition at the folk festival Sabantuy.2 Wrestlers (köräşçe(lär)) use towels to hold their opponents, and their goal is to throw their opponents off the feet.3

Tatar-style wrestling "Köräş"

Contents

History

The first official All-USSR koresh championship took place in Kazan in 1928 and was followed by the first TASSR (Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic) national championship in 1949. Since 1956, regular Tatar Köräş competitions have been organised in honor of the national hero and poet Musa Cälil.

At the turn of 1950 and 1960, the Soviet Federation of freestyle wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling, and sambo started to develop Tatar Köräş. Sportsmen from the neighbour regions, such as Bashkortostan, Mordovia, and Ulyanovsk City came to compete in Kazan for the first time in 1959. In 1960, the capital of Tatarstan was appointed host of the first RSFSR (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic) national koresh championship, an event that has been repeated every year since that date. It was organised in Kazan about 15 times, but also in other cities, such as Salavat, Orenburg, Oktyabrsky, Tuymazy, Chelyabinsk, Cheboksary, Almetievsk, Samara, Ulyanovsk, Naberezhnye Chelny. Sportsmen from 36 Russian regions have participated in the Russian championships over the past years.

World Championships

The International Tatar Belt Wrestling Köräş Association was founded on 9 September 2009 with the aim of popularizing Tatar traditions abroad and offer Continental and World opportunities to all sportsmen wishing to compete in Tatar Köräş. It became a member of FILA's World Traditional Wrestling Committee in 2009 and held its second World Championship during the FILA World Wrestling Games that took place in Šiauliai (LTU) in September 2009. The third World Championship was held in Kazan in May 2010 and attracted a participation of about 100 wrestlers from 17 countries.

Kurash Rules

There are three scoring points viz. Halal, Yambosh and Chala. The player who scores a Halal wins the bout. To score a Halal you need to throw your opponent on his back with full control, force and speed. The throw that is close to Halal is given Yambosh. Two Yambosh makes a Halal. The throw that is close to Yambosh is given Chala. No number of Chala can equal a Yambosh. There are three penalties in Kurash. The first penalty is called Tambik, second penalty is Dakki and the third penalty is Girrom which means disqualification. The bout starts with salutation which is called Tazim. And to pause the bout Tokta is used and to cancel a point Bekar is used. 4